Islamabad [Pakistan], March 31 : Law enforcement officials in Pakistan's twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad have been instructed to arrest and deport Afghan nationals involved in criminal activities, along with their families, as the Pakistan government's deadline for Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) holders to leave the country expires on Monday, the Dawn reported.
March 31 also marked the deadline for relocating all Afghan citizens from the twin cities.
According to the Dawn, citing sources, the Rawalpindi police chief has ordered officials in Rawal, Potohar, and Saddar divisions to take legal action against undocumented Afghan residents. Police have been directed to detain those engaged in illegal activities, with orders extending to their families, implying collective deportation.
Following directives from the Rawalpindi city police officer (CPO), all station house officers (SHOs) are required to detain Afghan nationals residing in their jurisdictions.
"We have received directions that all Afghan nationals holding ACC cards must be expelled from Rawalpindi and Islamabad," a police official said, as quoted by Dawn on Sunday.
Additionally, Afghans holding Proof of Registration (PoR) cards living in the twin cities have been warned to leave Pakistan by June 30, 2025, in accordance with government policy, as per Dawn. However, the police order does not clarify if documented refugees will face eviction.
Ongoing police operations continue in Rawalpindi to verify residents, particularly those living in rented properties.
According to Dawn, since the crackdown on illegal foreigners began in January, 923 Afghan nationals have been detained and taken to a refugee holding center near Golra Mor.
As of March 26, official data indicates that 715 out of the 923 detainees were released after verification, while 213 were repatriated via Torkham. The detainees included 116 ACC holders, 290 PoR cardholders, 21 UNHCR token holders, and 24 individuals applying for third-country resettlement.
Meanwhile, in response to the deportation, the UN's refugee agency (UNHCR) recognised Pakistan's longstanding hospitality toward Afghan refugees and emphasised the need for collaborative solutions involving Pakistan, Afghanistan, and the international community, the Dawn reported.
In her Eid message, UNHCR Pakistan representative Philippa Candler acknowledged that Pakistan could not be expected to bear the refugee burden indefinitely. She stressed the importance of long-term solutions, including continued humanitarian aid and development programmes.
According to Dawn, Candler urged Pakistan and Afghanistan to work together to ensure the safe and voluntary return of Afghan refugees, pointing out that many deported in 2023 have already returned to Pakistan. She highlighted the need for a peaceful and stable Afghanistan to prevent forced returns and called for expanded access to education, healthcare, and employment opportunities for Afghans who cannot safely return home.
Pakistan currently hosts 1.52 million registered Afghan refugees, around 800,000 Afghan citizens, and many others without official status, as reported by Dawn.